The other day I placed an item at the backseat of my car. I did that just as I was leaving my office. The car in the driveway was, as one may expect from a parked vehicle, stationary. What I did not take into account was the fact that when I’ll be driving, I’ll likely be making some sharp turns, in which case the item at the backseat may not stay in place. Physics, you know.

Moment later, driving, sure enough, I heard that item, which, luckily was not fragile, bounce all over the place. Duh…

This minor, harmless incident, made me realize something. It occurred to me that I do this more often than I realize; that I make assumptions regarding life that are incorrect. I occasionally assume that things will stay as they are; stationary, and based on that, I make plans. But life often takes us on a bumpy ride, and without the right preparations, those items that make our existence, may shift and move all over the place, leaving us puzzled if not injured.

Yet, I know; this begs the question – how can I be prepared for every possible unexpected event the universe has in store for me? I bet that the universe itself doesn’t plan these surprises that much in advance.

Life is not a game of chess. Too many factors and moves to calculate, and even if one takes all they can imagine into account, being so prepared may drain the fun of the day.

It is a fine line; walking between being prepared, and allowing for spontaneity.
I don’t think there is a definite answer for this. The actions each of us take, depends on an accumulation of personality; some are more impulsive while others are more analytical, but it also depends on our individual life experience. When one gets burned one too many times due to lack of preparation, attitude may shift. On the flip side of that coin, when one spent lots of time preparing for multiple possibilities, and then life surprised us with an option we didn’t anticipate, we may say: screw all these preparations, next time I am going impromptu.

As for myself, I do like to prepare several options ahead of time, leave early for a meeting in case of unanticipated traffic or a missed turn. But then again, more often than not, I find myself placing an item at the backseat of my car and expecting it to stay there during a bumpy ride.

Learned from: my car’s backseat

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About Ronen

Ronen Divon had been walking spiritual and holistic paths for well over thirty years. Born in Israel, educated in New York, and currently residing in North Carolina, Ronen had traveled the world, spending time with teachers, masters, healers and guides. With wisdom that spans multiple traditions, including the Far East, India, Israel, Brazil, Peru, and Native America, Ronen remains a student, learning and adding modalities that will best serve his clients, each according to their own unique needs. Ronen is also a published author, a Yoga, Meditation, and Tai Chi instructor.